Whipps Cross University hospital, where the three healthcare assistants worked. Photograph: Katie Collins/PA

Two healthcare assistants who abused female geriatric patients were jailed on Friday.

Akousa Sakyiwaa, 38, was convicted of four counts of ill-treatment or neglect of geriatric patients on Beech ward at Whipps Cross University hospital in Leytonstone, east London, between February and April last year.

Sharmila Gunda, 36, was found guilty of one count of neglect and one of assault by beating. The pair were convicted in June.

Sakyiwaa, of Leytonstone, was jailed for 12 months and Gunda, of Ilford, received a five-month sentence at Snaresbrook crown court, London.

Fellow healthcare assistant Annette Jackson, 33, of Hounslow, west London, was given a two-month suspended sentence and ordered to complete 100 hours unpaid work after being convicted of one count of ill-treatment or neglect.

The three women were charged following a Metropolitan police inquiry into the hospital after a student nurse turned whistleblower.

They were responsible for looking after elderly female patients with various physical and mental conditions, including dementia, said John McNally, prosecuting.

"An entitlement to proper care should not be a matter of chance or be given at the whim of the carer. The conduct complained of simply had no place on any ward," he told the jury.

The women would physically and verbally abuse patients, often telling them to shut up, as well as handling them in a rough and aggressive manner, police said.

Sakyiwaa was found guilty of neglect against three patients, including holding a bed sheet over 87-year-old Joan Massett's head and telling her she was dead.

She pushed Massett's breasts in another incident and twisted her mouth, which was "demeaning", McNally said.

Sakyiwaa shouted at 88-year-old patient Elizabeth Toussaint to force her to sit in a chair and slapped Louise Hodges, 92, after cleaning her.

Lamb told the women: "In short, by your offending you have let down your colleagues, you have damaged patient trust and you have undermined the quality of care for the elderly and vulnerable at Whipps Cross."

He said Gunda was "spiteful" and told Sakyiwaa: "Maybe this offending showed a sign of your character that you and other people didn't know about."

Giving Jackson a suspended sentence, Lamb said she was the sole guardian of her young son.

Only one victim, June Evans, was able to give evidence. In a statement read to the court, she said: "Since the incident that took place last year I have completely lost trust in the health service.

"I lost faith in my GP, the ambulance service and hospitals in general.

Ms Evans discharged herself from the hospital following the assault and was in a state of distress when she had to return to Whipps Cross for further treatment.

"I wanted to die," she said.

"I thought, why couldn't I have a heart attack and end it"

Other charges of neglect, assault and fraud related to the women were ordered to remain on the file.

Detective Sergeant Tammy Dempsey, from the Met's community safety unit in Waltham Forest, said after Friday's hearing: "These three women had a responsibility for the welfare of those who were under their care.

"The public and families of these elderly patients have a right to expect that they will be treated with respect and looked after in an appropriate manner.

"Gunda, Jackson and Sakyiwaa let everyone down and it's right that they have been found guilty at court.

"I would like to take this opportunity to thank those who had the courage to come forward and report these offences and give their evidence in court."

Barts Health NHS trust, which runs the hospital, said in a statement: "We apologise unreservedly to the patients of Beech ward and their families for the indefensible failings in their treatment during their time in our care.

"There can be no place under any circumstances for such behaviour in our trust or in the wider NHS.

"We take a zero tolerance approach to any form of neglect or ill-treatment of our patients and applaud the student nurses who showed courage and integrity in raising the alarm.

"It is the duty of every member of staff to report such behaviour and we will actively encourage and support this through our whistleblowing policy which is made clear to all staff on day one of their employment with the trust, with ongoing reminders to existing staff during regular statutory and mandatory training.

"Moreover, we will take action against any member of staff who turns a blind eye, or fails to take immediate and appropriate action, if they witness any form of abuse or negligence."

The trust said that following a disciplinary investigation, all three women had their contracts of employment terminated.